Deities
The multiverse of D&D is full of deities, powerful gods and cosmic entities that mortals swear fealty and allegiance to. These gods and goddesses each fulfill a purpose for their followers and have their own devices and plots behind the scenes, often sweeping others unknowingly along. A deity might ensure a hefty crop yield, prevent disastrous plague, or perhaps cause one for the next town over. Pantheons Different pantheons or families of deities exist in the multiverse, some of which originally came to power by exerting control over a single iteration of the material plane, only for their power to spill over or for their sights to be set elsewhere. The supremacy of the Gods was challenged by the Titans in the decade-long war known as the Titanomachy. The first gods had a war with the primordials known as the Dawn War to determine who would become the rulers of mortals, those who came after had to learn what that entailed. Immensely powerful, their realms are separated through the Great Wheel of the cosmos. Greyhawk Pantheon The original setting for D&D, this pantheon has a plethora of powerful beings with deep roots in the multiverse. Some of the pantheon are nearly as old as creation, but a great many are ascended mortals, beings who faced the lawless world of Oerth and succeeded. The deities of Greyhawk are old fashioned and tend towards ancient virtues and vices, most focusing on the big picture. The deities of Greyhawk could be considered somewhat aloof and possibly neglectful, but still lent their followers great powers. Faerunian Pantheon Deities emerging from a plane overseen by a powerful figure known as Ao, an overgod who keeps the balance in their realm. No such overseer exists in Nexxis. The Gods from this pantheon are younger, but by no means weaker, and hold onto their titles as Gods firmly, as many have had to kill to keep it. Ysgardian Pantheon In the wild places of the world the Ysgardians helped humanity find hope in the random chaos. The first mortals and the first gods were thrown into this world together, and the Ysgardians were some of the first to really find out what being a god meant after the war with the primordials. The Ysgardians are still largely recovering from the affects of the Ragnarok, an all-out war between Gods that decimated their pantheon. Heliopolan Pantheon Deities who narrowly survived in the multiverse, nearly forgotten by time. Old gods who were almost smothered out in their infancy before experiencing a massive resurgence and renewal. Since then they have made a name for themselves, particularly in Menmenis. The denizens of Heliopolis are resented by some other gods for their zealous nature when it comes to death, often disrupting the flow of souls for extended periods of time in their strange machinations. Olympian Pantheon The Olympians leave a record of every deed they have done, from leaving behind their step a bountiful harvest, to bringing thunder as they walk. The Olympians are gods that uphold the balance between nature and civilization, gods who wish to rise up mortals to one day become gods themselves through great acts of heroism, while avoiding the pitfalls of hubris and arrogance. Tuatha Dé Danann Gods that willed themselves into being from the spirit of the world. They are the voice of the river, the whistle in the wind, and the fiery resolve of the heart. They live for nature, drink, song, and story (nothing makes for a better story than a battle) and are as likely to be followed by a druid or bard as a cleric. Shen Pantheon The followers of the Shen believe that divinity is the natural state of the multiverse and thus are not surprised to see the worship of new gods in other lands. It is the way of things. The Shen teach that the path to divinity is derived from the core abilities of all beings: wisdom, strength, intelligence, constitution, charisma, dexterity, these are more than simple attributes, these are gifts that should not be squandered. Keun Pantheon Gods and spirits roam all the worlds searching for those who are receptive to their messages and will heed their missives and warnings for the future. For the Keun, these deities choose their own disciples among the mortals to bring divine revelation and direct lines to the Outer Planes. They bring purity, prosperity, and simplicity by their hand, using the base elements of creation to bring civilization that is connected with the living forces of the material plane. Clerics of the Keun are shamans, spiritual media that channel the will of the gods directly. Yomi Pantheon Gods are found in everyday things and spirits are all around you. The Yomi are concerned with these spirits and the interactions between them and mortals, but also ensure that mortals follow paths of righteousness. The followers of the Yomi tend towards monks and honor-bound warriors, but a good portion of their followers are bards and clerics, who express their devotion for their gods through an affinity for music, dance, and performance. In the areas where worship of the Yomi is popular, it is observed by the masses- poor and rich alike gather for the ceremonies and observe their holy days. Arcanists' Pantheon The Arcanists' Pantheon was founded by deities who found themselves all being worshiped by powerful sorcerers and wizards on different iterations of the material plane and saw fit to pool power and consolidate their worshipers, as was increasingly common in the time immediately after the Dawn War. Few members of the pantheon survived and those who did left one another on bad terms. Fey Pantheon Wild gods of the fey living among their people in the Feywild. The Gods of the fey fit into three primary groups: the Seelie Court, the Unseelie Court, and the Court of Stars. Elven Pantheon The gods of the Elves, powerful deities who are broken- divided by conflict into smaller courts and tribes after the vile machinations of Lolth. The clans of Sun, Moon, Wild, and Dark now sit on opposite sides, twisting the Elven race to better fit their ideals. Dwarven Pantheon The unflinching and rigid gods of the Dwarves, the Morndinsammen, are always working to ensure the survival and prosperity of their chosen people, at any cost. Draconic Pantheon The gods of the dragons are fractured, led by a mercurial and vague entity that leads one of the most powerful races in existence to an uncertain fate. It is no small wonder that many dragons forsake the gods altogether. Outer Gods Outside of the great wheel at the far side of the multiverse from the depths of the black beyond the stars the Outer Gods are wielders of immense power yet, for reasons unknown, are largely blocked off and prevented from accessing the traditional planes. Their influence still persists despite this, primarily in the form of the Great Old Ones, powerful deities that once ruled the multiverse but now largely lay dormant in the planes, looking for any opportunity to break free of their prisons and retake their positions of dominance. The Outer Gods and their lesser progeny the Old Ones rely almost exclusively on small cults to do their bidding, with rapidly accelerating followings that seek to take as much power as quickly as possible. Despite this hunger for power and influence it is unclear what motivations, if any, they have, often falling out of line with traditional alignments or even sanity itself.